The Lifeboat News: Re: David Miller: Demonising the Left

“A fierce and brilliant rebuttal of one of the Left’s most pertinacious obsessions. What makes David Hirsh the perfect analyst of this disorder is his first-hand knowledge of the ideologies and dogmata that sustain it.”
– Howard Jacobson, Novelist and Visiting Professor at New College of Humanities, London, UK

‘For more than a decade, David Hirsh has campaigned courageously against the all-too prevalent demonisation of Israel as the one nationalism in the world that must not only be criticised but ruled altogether illegitimate. This intellectual disgrace arouses not only his indignation but his commitment to gather evidence and to reason about it with care. What he asks of his readers is an equal commitment to plumb how it has happened that, in a world full of criminality and massacre, it is obsessed with the fundamental wrongheadedness of one and only national movement: Zionism.’
— Todd Gitlin, Professor of Journalism and Sociology, Columbia University, USA

‘David Hirsh is one of our bravest and most thoughtful scholar-activists. In this excellent book of contemporary history and political argument, he makes an unanswerable case for anti-anti-Semitism.’
— Anthony Julius, Professor of Law and the Arts, UCL, and author of Trials of the Diaspora (OUP, 2010).

“David Hirsh writes as a sociologist, but much of the material in his fascinating book will be of great interest to people in other disciplines as well, including political philosophers. Having participated in quite a few of the events and debates which he recounts, Hirsh has done a commendable service by deftly highlighting an ugly vein of bigotry that disfigures some substantial portions of the political left in the UK and beyond.”
— Matthew H. Kramer FBA, Professor of Legal & Political Philosophy, Cambridge University, UK

“David Hirsh’s new book “Contemporary Left Anti-Semitism” is an important contribution to the literature on the longest hatred. Coming at a time when there is appropriate attention to a resurgence of populist, classic right-wing anti-Semitism, Hirsh’s work is a reminder that delineates in detail, using Britain as a jumping off point but speaking more broadly, left-wing anti-Semitism is more challenging to identify but is no less pernicious than its right-wing counterpart. In a highly polarized world, understanding anti-Semitism from wherever it emerges is more vital than ever. Hirsh makes a large contribution toward that imperative.”
– Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO, Anti-Defamation League, USA

“David Hirsh has rightfully emerged as an important voice on the issue of contemporary antisemitsm. He writes with passion but with balance and offers insights, to which we may have been previously oblivious, but, after reading what he has to say, seem utterly obvious. This book is not just for those who care about prejudice and antisemitism. It is also a must read for anyone who cares about the contemporary political landscape. It is a wakeup call for those who believe in the ideals and objective of leftist politics.”
– Deborah Lipstadt, Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies, Emory University, United States

“David embodies what academia should be about – nuance, balance, careful evaluation of the merits of every perspective put forward, when disagreeing, doing so in a measured, respectful manner that deals with the issues not personalities, a willingness to subject his views to rigorous critical scrutiny and where called for adjust his views accordingly – he puts all too many of his academic humanities colleagues to shame. Listening to him is an intellectual treat. This fight is about more than Israel. It’s about restoring intellectual honesty and professional integrity to the world’s institutions of higher learning, which have largely been hijacked by intellectual frauds, moral charlatans and witch-hunting ideological bullies.”
– Wendy Kahn, National Director, South African Jewish Board of Deputies.